Broken Down on the Trail (Cecillia/Vladimir)

Morning sun burned through the windows of the Old House, but inside of the bedrooms of Matthew and Mary, Cecillia and Vladimir prepared themselves for the next two days of journey. Dressing in sensible clothing for such an adventure, which was more so picking the least dressy dress, Cecillia found herself wondering what would become of this trip and if they would be able to find their way back home. Ever since she had found a relationship of some form with Simon, Cecillia had been more excited for each coming day, but this surely left her unable to have such feelings.

Hearing a knock at her door, Cecillia quickly brought her thoughts back to 1781, straightening her hair, then rushing over to the door, finding Vladimir on the other side. Seeing he had a bag in hand, Cecillia smiled, going over and getting hers, then remember that it would probably look better if she let Vladimir carry it. Handing it to him, she gestured towards the stairs; "well, this is our chance to get out of here and out on our own where we can hopefully find some answers," Cecillia spoke.

Leading the way down the stairs, Cecillia was met by Rachel who was standing with a basket and satchel. "I've packed the two of you enough food and water for the journey, and your father gave the two of you some money to buy food and whatever else you need once you reach Bangor; he only asks that you two mind the time and get back as quickly as possible." Taking the items, Cecillia nodded; "thanks . . . mother," she smiled, receiving an embrace. "Be careful the two of you," Rachel added, watching Vlad and Cecillia depart the house.

Relieved in getting out of the house quickly without too much talk from Rachel or Jacob, Vladimir led Cecillia to the stable where their chosen transport was. Surprised slightly that was another but smaller carriage, Vlad placed his over night bags in the coach, then boarded seeing Cecillia was ready. Taking off once more through the trail unsure exactly where to be heading except west, he passed Cecillia the map glaring down at it, “Keep an eye on the main roads Cecillia and make sure we didn’t pass it. Seeing her nod, Vlad continued minding the horses as they continued pulling along.

After what seemed a half hour or so down the road, Vladimir relaxed in the seat feeling tired already from the trip. Smiling down at Cecillia beginning to fall asleep in his arm, Vlad looked around the woods and trails passing by amazed by how much has changed over the centuries. Feeling then the horses gradually become restless and pick up the pace. Getting a tighter grip on the reigns commanding the horses to slow down, they refused letting out soon a cry as one lost its balance falling to the ground. Doing his best to maintain control, Vlad continuously yelled at them but lost control as the carriage soon toppled over.

Vladimir woke a moment or so later after being thrown to the ground. Now remembering well what pain felt like he looked down towards his trousers seeing cuts and bruised knees. Shaking off his dizziness, Vlad looked around remembering only then about Cecillia. “Cecillia? Cecillia where are you?”

After being thrown from the carriage in her near sleep like state, Cecillia flew from the seat, landing on her wrist a few distant feet away. Feeling it pop and feeling the pain that came there after, Cecillia cried out, hearing Vladimir then call for her. Sitting up while cradling her wrist against her chest, Cecillia called over to Vladimir while watching him run over. Noticing the dress she was wearing now ripped and ruined, she sighed, then remembered the pain in her wrist. "What on earth happened to the carriage to make it turn over like that," Cecillia asked Vladimir as he came to her, standing and hiding the fact that her wrist was injured so not to make Vladimir feel guilty. "And more so, are you going to be able to fix it?"

“I don’t know Cecillia, those damn horses seemed to have gotten spooked by something I would suppose that in turn caused the carriage to crash,” Vladimir responded examining Cecillia while feeling awful this had to happen. Looking around towards the over turned carriage, then helping Cecillia up, he went over, examining it. “Well since the horses ran off, it will take us probably a day maybe two to get to Bangor. Seeing Cecillia shocked, Vlad shook his head, examining the damaged wheel. “Seems all the spanners are fine; however the hub and hubcap came loose here.”

Gesturing then Cecillia to help the two managed to get the carriage upright while instantly finding other problems near the front. Glaring back to Cecillia Vladimir shook his head, “I don't know what I can do Cecillia, but I’ll try my best with this,” trying to remain hopeful all the while wishing to himself he had his supernatural powers again.

Grabbing a spare dress and managing to change into the uncomfortable garment, Cecillia joined back where Vladimir was. Sitting on a tree stump, Cecillia distracted her attention for a while from Vladimir, instead concentrating on her own daydreaming thoughts. After a while though, she heard cussing coming from Vladimir, bringing her attention back to him. Standing and going near where he was, Cecillia called to him; "is everything okay Vladimir?" Seeing as he didn't respond, Cecillia questioned him yet again, but too soon found it to be a bad time as the piece of wood Vladimir was working on snapped in half, slicing through the skin of Vladimir's palm in the process. With him not yelling in pain and in a mood not to be reckoned with, Cecillia proceeded forward, grabbing his arm then guiding him over to where the water was. Opening a canister, she poured the liquid onto his hand, then glared down at her dress. "Boy am I glad that this sort of stupid thing went out of style," she spoke with distaste, ripping off one of the many ruffles at the bottom, then turning back to Vladimir's hand. "Here, please let me put this on to stop the bleeding . . . I'm sure you're not used to being able to not stop your own bleeding for a while now," Cecillia smiled up at Vladimir, tying the cloth around his hand snug. Finishing, she looked up at Vladimir with sorrow; "and I'm sorry if I caused this all to happen . . . I didn't do it intentionally," she sighed, glaring back at the carriage which was now even further from repair.

Breathing a heavy sigh as Cecillia nurtured his hand, Vladimir turned his head towards the carriage glaring at it unsure what more could be done. Hearing Cecillia apologise, he turned back shaking his head, taking his hand away, “It wasn’t your fault Cecillia and thank you,” gesturing the cloth. “I'm sorry if I’ve seemed frustrated with all of this mess. This whole time just seems hard to adjust again, you know? I know you must think I'm mad for saying that knowing that this is my time but . . . I feel different here like I don’t belong.”

Scuffing tossing away a small bark he had in his hand, Vladimir lowered his head, “I'm not sure what we are doing really Cecillia. I probably never should have agreed to go on this venture but something in me said that this was what needed to happen.” Standing once more over looking the sea ahead Vlad breathed in a sigh, "I just wish I was sure how to get back."

"I don't know how we are to get back to our own time; I sort of hoped that would just come to us somehow, but I do know that by the looks of the time of the day, that we would nearly be silly to start out on foot towards Bangor and hope to get there before nightfall . . . and I'm not too sure how we expect to get far once night does approach . . . I'm pretty sure we were supposed to spend the night in Bangor by the looks of it," Cecillia gestured towards their lack of lights or other overnight equipment, such as blankets. "I would guess we should just stay here and attempt to make camp? Now would be the time to say that you are an expert in crafting fire without the flick of your wrist," Cecillia laughed, hoping that it was more than a joke. "But as for where we are going to sleep . . . is out here in the open the only choice you think? I'm not too keen on, well . . . sleeping with bugs and who knows what wild animals might be out here."

Hearing Cecillia suggest they make strides in making camp, Vladimir remained uneasy by it but knew there really wasn’t an alternative while going back to Collinsport to their parents, they would never welcome their children empty handed. Looking then behind him around them considering if anything would be suitable for shelter or for a suitable camp, Vlad turned his attention towards the carriage then looked back to Cecillia, “I think dear you would be most comfortable in the carriage itself; the interior is fine.” Noticing she gave a sigh of relief she wouldn’t be outside, Vlad grinned then shivered slightly, “As for me I’ll keep watch over you during the night; I still haven’t quite gotten use to sleeping at night again.” Laughing with her, Vlad lowered towards the wheel shaking his head from the damage. “Well I suppose I best go out and find fire wood for the evening, perhaps even search for the horses too. Will you be alright?”

"I . . . think I'll be fine here by myself Vladimir," Cecillia spoke, nodding for him to continue out to look for ample wood supply for the night. Being left alone by the broken down carriage, Cecillia sighed, knowing this was going to be all but a comfortable night's rest, not to mention the fact that the next day they would likely be stuck walking who knew how far until reaching Bangor, where hopefully they wouldn't have to worry about how they were going to get back to the Old House.

Straightening up a bit around the carriage and clearing an area for a fire as well as places to sit down, Cecillia then went over to the carriage, looking inside of the satchel to find a small blanket that was probably meant to eat lunch on. Laughing slightly at the outdated ways of thinking, Cecillia took the blanket out, spreading it out in a flat, clear spot and then sat down, waiting for Vladimir to return.

Without realizing she had done it, Cecillia abruptly woke to the sound of a fire being started. Startled and nervous that she had fallen asleep that long, Cecillia looked up at the darkening sky, glad that at least Vladimir was here. "I'm sorry . . . I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep," she spoke, seeing Vladimir look up to her from the ground. "Did you manage to find the horses, Vladimir," she spoke, looking around for them.

Spending most of the day wandering around the wooded area admiring the beauty of seeing bright colours and the nature of day again, Vladimir arrived back to the site with an arm load of firewood hoping it would last for the two or three nights they would be out while having no luck in finding the horses. After what seemed a long fifteen minutes or so as night soon approached, Vlad managed to get a fire started with what knowledge he had in making one.

Leaning back near a trunk of a tree, Vladimir stared out into the darkness as a sudden rush of depression came to him as he whispered feeling tears form, “Syerren, Syerren where ever you are my brother here me . . . I'm trapped; trapped in this time. I miss you, you, Amy and Simon too. Hear me.” Getting nothing but silence with the little sounds of nature, he lowered his head in grief breathing heavily. Hearing then sounds from Cecillia realizing she was awake; Vlad adjusted himself, disguising his feelings while smiling slightly towards her. “I'm sorry if I disturbed you Cecillia.” Shifting over he shook his head, “I'm afraid I haven’t found the horses; however, I think they’ll turn up, they usually do.” Looking down beside him at the wood then back gesturing her to sit he continued, “We do have a good amount of firewood that will last us.”

Smiling at Vladimir, Cecillia picked up the blanket she was laying on, then went over to him, sitting. Seeing his face appeared to be wet from tears, Cecillia's heart broke into pieces, realizing just how bad this all was. "I'm so sorry Vladimir that this happened; I don't know how it happened or why it happened, but I am ever so sorry that you're having to suffer now . . . away from everyone." Looking out at the fire, she sighed again; "I miss them all too; this all really makes you realize how much you care about others." Feeling a slight breeze among them, Cecillia shivered slightly, pulling the blanket up around her, then gesturing half of it to Vladimir; "I found it in the things that Rachel packed," Cecillia spoke with a smile.

Looking into Vladimir's eyes after a few minutes, seeing he was still troubled, Cecillia leaned closer to him, embracing him. "Don't worry Vladimir; we'll get out of all of this real soon, you'll see," Cecillia spoke softly, remaining close to Vladimir as she let her eyes slowly close, drifting off into sleep.

Vladimir remained uncomfortable that his feelings were exposed however was surprised that Cecillia acted differently towards them. Smiling slightly by her words knowing they would probably be the same thing if Syerren was in her place, he adjusted slightly to the breeze coming in as Cecillia came in embracing him. As Vlad looked down at Cecillia stroking her he sighed, looking back up towards the dark distance he knew so well, “Your right dear,” he whispered unsure if she was listening, “We will get out of this world and I'm honoured to have you here.” Looking away he scuffed, “Sure it may be paradise to any being who suffered as I did but . . .” he stopped seeing now Cecillia drift to sleep, then relaxed further leaning back against the tree staring up towards the sky, “It’s nothing without everyone you love around you.”

~End Scene~